Constitution Writers To Be Elected

The preparatory commission on drafting an Iraqi constitution met with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Najaf, and afterwards announced that as soon as a census could be taken (to prepare voter rolls), elections would be held for delegates to a constitutional convention. This way of doing things has the disadvantage of greatly postponing national elections, however. A census probably can’t be done for many months, and even once the delegates are elected, they will presumably take at least six months to draft the constitution. Then you could have general elections on that basis. I’d say that general elections couldn’t be held before early 2005 if the Iraqis proceed in this way. (-AFP)